Its 3,000 mile journey begins in Trafalgar Square on July 6, the first anniversary of London’s dramatic success in Singapore last year.  Its finale is in Liverpool on July 27 – six years to the day before the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Games.

More than 50 locations will be visited by the bus, which will carry top names from London 2012, the Government and sport – bringing with them the latest news on progress made in the last 12 months, as well as future plans.

Across the country the Roadshow will call in at a wide variety of locations, including major cities, 2012 venues and sporting events.

It will inform local people about preparations for 2012, what the Games can mean for them and how they can get involved. The Roadshow will also reinforce the message that the UK will be hosting not one, but two great events, the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games.

The Roadshow’s programme across the UK will include events to remind businesses about the economic opportunities presented by the Games.

In addition there will be a strong focus on tourism benefits, the Cultural Olympiad which runs from 2008 to 2012, volunteering and the importance of diversity, to the preparations for and staging of the Games.

Sebastian Coe, Chairman of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, will be accompanying the bus to several venues around the country. 

"The great thing about the Olympic and Paralympic Games is that pretty much everyone wants to be involved in some way," he said.  "The UK-wide Roadshow will help to ensure that regional cities and businesses feel part of the 2012 experience. 

"It will provide them with information about our plans and the opportunities to be part of the world’s biggest sporting event."

Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell will also be taking part in the Roadshow. “2012 is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and we have got to make sure everyone can see the benefits and feel part of this extraordinary event," she said.

 As part of the Roadshow, Jowell will be hosting an economic benefits conference in Leeds on July 19, which 300 business representatives will attend. This will explore the wider economic benefits for the whole of the UK from the 2012 Games.

 The Roadshow is being organised by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the London organising committee, in conjunction with the Olympic Delivery Authority, London 2012's Nations and Regions Group and the Greater London Authority.  It is supported by the British Olympic Association, the British Paralympic Association, the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales and the Northern Ireland Office.

 
2012 Roadshow Itinerary

Thursday July 6 – London
Afternoon – Trafalgar Square, Royal Festival Hall, Alexandra Palace (Islam Expo)
Evening – Stratford Rail Station, Stratford Circus

Saturday July 8 - London
Morning – Crystal Palace (London Youth Games)
Afternoon – Wimbledon (The Championships)
Evening – Finsbury Park (Rise Festival)

Monday July 10 – West Midlands
Morning – Birmingham (Hamstead Hall School, Villa Park, Alexander Stadium)
Afternoon – Stratford-upon-Avon (Shakespeare’s Birthplace and Royal Shakespeare Theatre), Kingswinford (Simworx factory)
Evening – Much Wenlock (Guildhall and Museum)

Tuesday July 11 – East Midlands
Morning – Leicester (Saffron Lane Sports Centre)
Afternoon – Loughborough (University), Nottingham (Queen’s Medical Centre)
Evening – Derby (Pride Park – Derby County FC)

Thursday July 13 – East
Morning – Brentwood (Weald Country Park)
Afternoon – Broxbourne (Herts Young Mariners)
Evening – Ely (Cathedral)
In addition Seb Coe will be speaking at a conference of the Association for Physical Education in Hatfield

Friday July 14 – South East
Morning – Milton Keynes (Midsummer Place, Milton Keynes Stadium and Arena)
Afternoon – Stoke Mandeville (Stadium), Eton Dorney (Eton College Rowing Centre)
Evening – Brighton (sea front)

Saturday July 15 – South West
Morning – Weymouth and Portland (National Sailing Academy)
Afternoon – Tiverton (Devon Youth Games)
Evening – Plymouth (Brickfields Recreation Ground)

Sunday July 16 – South West
Morning – Bath (University)
Afternoon – Bristol (Anchor Square)

Monday July 17 – Wales
Morning – Newport (Holiday Inn, Wales National Velodrome), Cardiff (Millennium Stadium)
Afternoon – Swansea (Castle Square), Carmarthen ( Guildhall Square)

Tuesday July 18 – Wales, Yorkshire
Morning – Caernarfon (Castle and Plas Menai National Watersports Centre), Wrexham (North East Wales Institute)
Evening – Sheffield (Ponds Forge International Sports Centre)

Wednesday July 19 – Yorkshire
Afternoon – Leeds (Town Hall)
Evening – Hull (The Deep)

Friday July 21 – North East
Morning – Darlington (Market Square)
Afternoon – Sunderland (Stadium of Light), Newcastle

Saturday July 22 – Scotland
Afternoon – Edinburgh (Princes Street Gardens), Perth (Bell’s Sports Centre)
Evening – Aberdeen

Sunday July 23 – Scotland
Afternoon – Stirling (King’s Park), Glasgow (George Square, Hampden Park)

Monday July 24 – Northern Ireland
Evening - Londonderry (Foyle Cup, Guildhall Square)

Tuesday July 25 – Northern Ireland
Morning - Antrim (Antrim Forum Leisure Centre), Jordanstown (Sports Institute Northern Ireland)
Afternoon - Belfast (City Hall), Bangor (Bangor Castle Leisure Centre)
Evening - Belfast (Parliament Buildings, Stormont)

Wednesday July 26 – Scotland, North West England
Afternoon – Dumfries (David Keswick Centre)
Evening – Windermere (Low Wood Hotel)

Thursday July 27 – North West
Morning – Preston (Deepdale - Preston North End FC), Blackburn, Manchester (Old Trafford - Manchester United FC)
Afternoon – Manchester (East Manchester, City of Manchester Stadium – Manchester City FC)
Evening – Liverpool (City Centre)